If you were around during the early 1990s, you probably remember Anna Chlumsky as the cute little girl who starred in the 1991 movie My Girl and its 1994 sequel. Her role as Vada Sultenfuss instantly turned her into one of the hottest young stars in Hollywood. She continued to act throughout the 90s, but like many other child stars, Chlumsky faded from the spotlight. However, her career caught a second wind in 2012 when she was cast as Amy Brookheimer in Veep, and she has kept the ball rolling ever since. Most recently, Anna has been getting lots of attention for her role in the new Netflix series Inventing Anna in which she plays a fictional journalist named Vivian Kent. If anyone out there thought that Anna’s early success was only because she was a cute kid, she has officially proven that she is truly a force to be reckoned with on the acting front. Keep reading to learn 10 things you didn’t know about Anna Chlumsky.
1. She’s From Chicago
Chicago has a long history of being home to some very talented people, and Anna Chlumsky is proud to be one of them. She was born and raised in The Windy City and it was there where she got her start in the entertainment industry. When she was young, her mother got her involved in modeling and that eventually led to her becoming an actress. She made her on-screen debut with a small role in the 1989 movie Uncle Buck. Anna also attended the University of Chicago where she earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies in 2002. It’s unclear where Anna is based at the moment although she may be living in New York City.
2. She Almost Walked Away From Acting Completely
Being young and famous sounds like a dream come true to lots of people. Time and time again, however, many former child stars have expressed that it isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Although Anna’s experience was far less chaotic than many other young stars, being in the entertainment industry was difficult for her too. As a result, she decided to take a break from acting in the late 1990s so that she could focus on her education and pursue other interests. Although she ultimately decided to return to the industry, she is still very mindful of the impact that being in the spotlight can have on children.
In an article from Independent, Anna said, “There’s a huge societal blind spot about young people in the public eye. It’s not just actors and people in the public eye but athletes, musicians, even now these online personalities. Children don’t have agency. That’s one of the things they’re meant to be learning. So when you suddenly put professional, financial, adult and public – often sexualised – pressures on them, you not only open them up to a world that is commoditising and objectifying them. You’re also setting them back from their ability to develop. So when they are faced with [adult life], the tools aren’t there.”
3. She Worked In Publishing
After graduating from college, Anna got a job as a fact-checker for a survey company. She then became an editorial assistant for the well-known publisher HarperCollins. Although she was finding success in her career outside of acting, she eventually reached a point where her work was no longer fulfilling her. Still, she is thankful for her time working in the publishing industry. Little did she know, it would eventually come in handy in her acting career with opportunities like Inventing Anna. The fact that Anna was able to leave acting, have another career, and return isn’t an easy thing to do. Once most child stars walk away from the spotlight, they find it nearly impossible for their careers to gain traction again.
4. She’s Been On Broadway
Most people who are familiar with Anna know her from the work she’s done on screen. Little do they know, however, she has also shared her talents with the stage. In 2008, she was in an off-Broadway production of a play called Unconditional. She returned to the stage in the spring of 2015, this time for the Broadway run of You Can’t Take It with You. Now that her TV career is moving ahead at full speed, it’s unclear if she has any plans to do any additional theater projects.
5. She’s A Wife and Mother
If there’s anyone in the entertainment business who knows how difficult it can be to make every move in front of the public eye, it’s a former child star. Needless to say, it’s not too surprising that Anna has made it a point to keep her personal life very private. One thing we do know, though, is that she is all about family. She has been married to Shaun So since the fall of 2008. The couple met when they were both students at the University of Chicago. They share two children together. Shaun also appears to be a private person and the couple has also chosen to keep their children’s lives private.
6. She Struggled to Be Cast After My Girl
My Girl is arguably one of the most memorable movies of the early 1990s. Due to the success of the film, many people probably assumed that opportunities were just pouring in for Anna. Unfortunately, however, that wasn’t exactly the case. In fact, after being in My Girl and My Girl 2, the audition process became very difficult for Anna. According to Too Fab, Anna said, “Throughout my adolescence, I was not getting booked. I was told I was too fat or too ugly. You live on a risk-reward system and I wasn’t getting much reward”. As you can imagine, this feedback wasn’t easy for a young girl to digest and it was a major part of the reason she decided to leave acting and go to college. Sadly, this treatment is something that lots of young women in Hollywood have dealt with.
7. She Wasn’t Familiar With Anna Delvey’s Story Prior to Inventing Anna
Inventing Anna is currently one of the hottest new shows on Netflix, but the story of Anna Delvey is actually a few years old. From 2017 to 2019, Anna Delvey’s name and face were featured in headlines all over the United States and other parts of the world. As a result, millions of people became invested in Anna’s story as well as her subsequent trial. Anna Chlumsky, however, wasn’t familiar with Anna Delvey or her story prior to reading the script for Inventing Anna. During an interview with W Magazine, Anna said, “I am discovering, slowly and copiously, that I am probably the only person that didn’t know the story before getting my hands on this material”. Like most people, though, once Anna learned about the story she was very intrigued. For anyone out there who may have been wondering, the two Annas did not get the chance to meet.
8. She Doesn’t Like Constantly Being Asked About My Girl
Even though Anna has had a successful acting career as an adult, her role in My Girl is still what most people know her for. While she’s grateful for the film, being asked about it more than 30 years later can get a little exhausting. When asked how she feels about being asked about the role, Anna told Entertainment Tonight, “You ever get sick of talking about that recital you did when you were 10?… Even though it’s been 30 years, people still want to be like, ‘Oh no, but I still own you.’ It’s really strange. I used to just think it was lazy. But now I have to think that there’s something more to it.” With that being said, if you ever run into Anna in real life – the last thing you probably want to do is ask about My Girl.
9. She’s Been Nominated For Several Emmy Awards
No matter how humble an actor is, winning an award is always one of the primary goals. After all, there’s nothing better than knowing that all of the hard work you’ve put into something is being appreciated. Fortunately for Anna, her dedication to her craft hasn’t gone unnoticed. Between 2013 and 2019, she was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards for her work in Veep. Although she has never won an Emmy Award, she has won several others including a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2017 for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. I think it’s safe to say that Anna is going to have a lot more awards in the future. In fact, lots of people are already guessing that Inventing Anna will receive several award nominations.
10. She’s Also A Voice Actress
Anna’s live-action work is what has made her famous, but that isn’t the only thing she’s contributed to the entertainment industry. Over the years, she has also proven to be a very talented voice actress. Most recently, she was the voice of Charlotte Pickles in the revival of the popular children’s series Rugrats. It’ll be interesting to see if she decides to take on more voice roles.
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